Compare towns
Westminster vs Barnstead vs Brookline vs Halifax
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Westminster has the most kids (28.4% under 18).
Barnstead has the highest household income ($112k).
Brookline has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Halifax has the most people working from home (29.9%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Westminster | Barnstead | Brookline | Halifax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 497Lowest |
4,994Highest |
531 |
847 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.3±11.5 11% above U.S. |
42.8±3.1 10% above U.S. |
45.1±2.7Highest 16% above U.S. |
40.6±13.1Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 28.4%±7.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±5 U.S.: 22% |
20%±6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.4%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Westminster and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±11.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±4.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±7.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Halifax and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Barnstead and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $81,000±$22k about the U.S. average |
$111,660±$12kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$80,833±$16k about the U.S. average |
$63,889±$7kLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Barnstead and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $313,600±$39k 6% below U.S. |
$362,400±$25kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$290,700±$37k 13% below U.S. |
$267,500±$21kLowest 20% below U.S. |
| Barnstead and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $749±$315Lowest 47% below U.S. |
$1,395±$75 about the U.S. average |
$1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
$875±$154 38% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,480Lowest 44% above U.S. |
$6,003Highest 92% above U.S. |
$5,000 60% above U.S. |
$4,991 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 6.1%±43.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.6%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.8%±94.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±73.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Halifax and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 13% above U.S. |
31 min 18% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.1%±15.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
29.9%±11.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Halifax and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #53 of 70 in VT | #111 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | — | Barnstead School District | — | Halifax School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.